First Touch: Asia’s Road to the 2030 World Cup

What went wrong for Asia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and who can lead the region forward? From Australia's rise to the challenges facing Japan, South Korea and Iraq, David Gass and Matt Doyle explore which nations are best positioned to shape Asia's future. This episode continues First Touch's Road to the 2030 World Cup series, previewing every confederation, the biggest storylines and the teams to watch on the road to 2030. 0:00 A Disappointing World Cup for Asia 3:14 The 2027 Asian Cup 5:51 Australia's Bright Future 10:55 Japan & South Korea 15:07 Iraq & the Road to 2030 More Episodes 🎙️ Africa's Road to the 2030 World Cup 🎙️ CONCACAF's Road to the 2030 World Cup 🎙️ UEFA's Road to the 2030 World Cup 👍 Like • Subscribe • Listen • Follow 🎧 Listen to First Touch wherever you get your podcasts: https://kickback-26.captivate.fm/listen 🌐 Explore more from Kickback Soccer Media: https://kickbacksoccer.com 📰 Subscribe to the Kickback newsletter: https://the-kickback.ghost.io 📲 Follow First Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouch_ksm/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/firsttouch.bsky.social ⭐ Enjoying First Touch? Follow the podcast, leave a rating, and write a review to help more soccer fans discover the show.